The Exchange
by talkofcake
Summary: She feared the John Druitt that she had once given her heart to long ago, and who still refused to fully give it back to her, would be very soon lost to her once again. Helen/John, Revelations Part Two tag.


"John," Helen said, her eyes turning to glass as she bit back tears. "You don't have to do this."

"I know that, Helen."

His voice was calm and soothing, and the gentleness that encompassed his face was something she'd grown rather used to over the course of the past several weeks. She wanted to hold onto these characteristics, the ones that stung her with nostalgia and flooded her with memories of passionate times in London before the very, very dark days overcame.

She feared the John Druitt that she had once given her heart to long ago, and who still refused to fully give it back to her, would be very soon lost to her once again.

"I trust you've thought this over," her voice unintentionally now a whisper, the space between them electric and rendering her weak as she gazed up at his towering form.

"I have," he replied simply, and the smoothness of his voice, the softness in his eyes, and the genuine smile upon the corner of his lips finally beckoned the tears to fall from her eyes.

She looked away and stifled a sob.

He took a step towards her, reached out his steady hand and rest it upon her cheek, his thumb soothing away the tears from her skin.

"She's my daughter, Helen. _Our_ daughter. If this will save her, there's no question in my mind that this isn't the right course of action."

She nodded. Any attempts to stop the tears from flowing over at this point seemed futile, so she gave in and let the sobs overtake her right into his warm arms.

She breathed him in unabashedly, now well-aware that this might be her last chance to indulge in a piece of what they once had but may never have again. His arms held her relatively small frame compared to his own, and for a moment, just one moment, she let herself pretend that they would be happy. He pressed a kiss to her head and inhaled her, pulling her even closer to him if it were at all possible. They remained this way, drowning in each other for several more moments, until the peak of her sobs had worn off and her shoulders grew still.

"Helen," he whispered, pulling away only slightly so that he was able to glance down at her. She peered back up at him with red and swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks.

"I know," she replied, forbidding him to continue with the shake of her head.

But he wouldn't have it. He'd gone on for too long, lived alone in the world decade after lonely decade only to have her in his arms for what could be one last time. He'd be a fool not to seize the moment.

Before she could protest--not that she would have--his lips were atop hers, caressing and kissing, apologizing and forgiving all at once (for what he had done but also could do), speaking in actions everything that neither of them could vocalize. And it caused her to melt and forget everything dark around her. For that moment in time, she truly let herself be happy.

The imminent moment came when their bodies separated. They exchanged teary-eyed, knowing looks, both understanding the dark fate laid out before them. He took a step back, but her hand remained grasping his wrist tightly as more tears welled up inside the pool of her eyes. She bit her lip, wanting to say so much that she may never be able to again. It was his turn to silence her however, and he reached forward and brushed his thumb over the softness of her lips.

The look in his eyes reassured her she didn't need to say anything at all.

"It's time," his voice cracked, and he slowly took another step back, her fingers disentangling themselves with his arm.

One last moment, one last look, and the distance grew between them as she watched him retreat from her until the hall was filled with a flash of light, and the space that once held his tall frame turned empty.

If there had ever been a question in Helen's mind whether John had truly learned to suppress those monstrous urges within him after his confrontation with Tesla weeks ago, they were now put to rest as, on the other side of the world, he went to trade his life for his daughter's.

For _their_ daughter.


End file.
